Fire-escape



(No Model.)

' W. NAOK.

. HRH ESGAPE.

No. 281,549. Patented July 17, 1883 INvEN bR ATTORNEY WITNESSES:

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"UNITED STATES PATENT @FFICEE.

WILLIAM luck, or SHEBOYGAN, WISCONSIN.

Fl RE-ESCAP-E.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 281,549, dated July 17,

Application filed March 7, 1883. (No model.)

To all whom, it may concern Be it known that I, WILLIAM NAOK, of Sheboygan, in the county of Sheboygan and State of Wisconsin, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Fire-Escapes, of which the following is a specification.

This invention has reference to an improved fire-escape of that class in which a steel band is used in connection with awinding-drum and a brake mechanism, which latter controls the unwinding of the steel band in descending from the building; and the invention consists of a steel band that is wound upon a center spindle of a drum and passed to the outside between clampingcheeks of the drum. The cheeks are applied to the band by a wedgepiece and an eccentric on a band-wheel shaft. A suspension-hook is applied to the end of the steel band and released by means of a spring and cord connected to the pivot of the hook from the band when the person has arrived on the ground, the cord being then wound up simultaneously with the winding up of the steel band, as will more fully appear hereinafter.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 represents a side view, partly in section, and Fig. 2 an end View, partly in vertical transverse section, of my improved fire-escape; and Fig. 3 is a detail top view of the clamping mechanism of the steel band.

Similar letters of reference indicate corre- .ponding parts.

In the drawings, A represents a circular casing or drum of suitable size and strength, which is attached by a strong ring, I), to a snaphook, or other device on a leather belt, which is passed around the breast of the person desiring to escape. A steel band, B, of suitable size and length, is applied at its inner end to the transverse spindle a of the drum A, and wound up around the spindle by a crankhandle, a, applied to the square outer end of the spindle. The steel band B is passed through between clamping-cheeks B B, that are formed integral with and radially extending from the circular wall of the drum A.

To one clamping-cheek B is applied a U- shaped frame,

0, which passes alongside of the cheeks B B, and supports in bearings, at its outer ends, a transverse shaft, 6, to which the band-wheels e e are applied. The transverse shaft 0 is provided at that portion between the The wedge piece f tirely releasing frame 0 with an eccentric cam, f, that bears on an intermediate wedge-piece, f, placed sidewise of the inner cheek B. The wedge-piece f has a screw-threaded shank, f thatpasses through a bridge-piece, f, of the U-shaped frame 0. The shank is engaged by a screwnut, f that turns by a collar in the bridge f and bears by a shoulder at its lower end on' the under side of the bridge, as shown in Fig. 1. is set higher or lower by the nut f so as to apply the second clamping- 'cheek B to the steel band, which is set sufficiently tight that the pressure of the cheeks with the steel band is capable of resisting the weight of an average person. When the eccentric shaft is applied to the wedge-piece, the clamping-cheeks are rigidly locked to the steel band, andthereby a greater weight suspended therefrom. By slightly releasing the brake,a slow descending motion isimparted to the person suspended from the steel band. By enit, the descent can be made with greater speed.

To the exterior end of the steel band B is riveted a fork-shaped end piece, D, to which a suspension-hook, D, is pivoted by a detachable pivot, g. A spring-strap,'g, is riveted at its lower end to the end-piece, D, applied back of the pivot-pin so as to engage the head of the same, and connected at its outer ring-shaped end to a releasing-cord, which is of the same length as the steel band 'B. The cord is wound up on a reel, 9 that is placed on the spindle a of the drum A at the end opposite to that to which the crank a is applied. When the person who has lowered himself from the building by the fire escape arrives at the ground, the releasing-cord g is pulled, and thereby the pivot-pin g withdrawn from the hook D by the action of the spring-strap g". The steel band and cord are then wound up simultaneously by the turning of the crank a and spindle a, the fire-escape being ready for use again after the insertion of another suspension-hook. Before the steel band B and cord g are wound up, the clamping-cheeks B B have to be released by removing the eccentric from the wedge-key f and the latter from the inner cheek B, whereby the steel band is free to pass through between the clampingcheeks.

The drum is provided at both sides with east-iron caps, that are riveted down to the circumferential wall of the same, as shown in Fig. 1. Ihe fire-escape is of compact form, and takes up but little room, so that it can be carried easily along by travelers in their trunks or valises, it being instantly ready for use when required.

I am aware that fireescapes in which a drum, an unwinding steel band, and a brake device are employed are old and well known, and I do not claim the same, broadly.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent- 1. The combination, with a winding-drum having clamping-cheeks, of a steel band passing through between the cheeks, a U-shaped frame applied to one check, an adjustable wedge-piece acting upon the other cheek, and an eccentric cam that is adapted to engage or release the wedge-piece, so as to rigidly clamp or release the steel band, substantially as set forth.

2. In a fire-escape, the combination, with a drum having clamping cheeks extending therefrom, of a steel band passing through between the cheeks, a U shaped frame applied to one check, a wedge-piece applied to the other cheek, means for adjusting the wedge-piece,

a band-wheel shaft turning in bearings of the U shaped frame, and an eccentric on the bandwheel shaft, substantially as specified.

3. In a fire-escape, the combination of a drum, A, having a reel, y", 011 its spindle a, a steel band, B, having a forked end piece, D, a suspension-hook, D, a detachable pivot-pin, g, a spring-strap, connected to the pivot-pin, and areleasing-cord, 9", connecting the springstrap with the reel on the drum-spindle, so as to detach the suspension-hook and then wind up the releasing-cord and steel band, substantially as set forth.

4. In a fire-escape composed of a windingdrum, steel band, and brake device, the combination of a suspension-hook applied to the fork-shaped end piece of the steel band, with a detachable pivot-pin, a spring-strap applied to the head of the pivot-pin,and releasing-cord applied to the end of the spring-strap, substantially as described.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my invention I have signed my name in presence of two subscribing witnesses.

WILLIAM NACK.

Witnesses:

AUGUST H. FRANCK, ANTON KROPP. 

